From I’m Pissed (2021). Dramatic rock dance production, complete with timestamps for each section (of a four-minute video), and a… sort of website.
From Nassau’s Discos (1979). Fast and funky with cowbells and other African percussion.
From I’m Pissed (2021). Dramatic rock dance production, complete with timestamps for each section (of a four-minute video), and a… sort of website.
From Nassau’s Discos (1979). Fast and funky with cowbells and other African percussion.
Tolgahan Çoğulu: Microtonal Guitar
A modified classical guitar to play microtones; demonstrates with an excerpt of a Turkish melody.
Jacob Collier delves into music nerdery, showing how it’s possible to harmonize any note with every chord or how a diminished chord lets you modulate to anywhere.
Self-described ‘drama rock’ in Portuguese. Feels inspired by Frank Zappa sometimes. I like the diversity of complex textures on this album. There’s also birds!
Ana Vidovic: Live concert from St. Mark's, SF
An hour of classical guitar; works by Bach, Brouwer, Scarlatti, Albeniz.
Abo Sahar (أبو سهر): Moulid Kholkhal (مولد خلخال)
Arabic microtonal melodies, electronic effects, shaabi rhythms.
Abo Sahar (أبو سهر): Mizmar Abosahar
Piercing ornamented tones of a traditional music instrument that appears in some Greek music (similar to a duduk), although I think it’s synthesized here.
Abo Sahar (أبو سهر): Trobby Asly
From 2020 (2020). Featuring so-called ‘trobby music’, not sure if this is a reference to trap music, but it’s gritty, noisy, hypnotic—may give you stank face.
I just get octopus vibes watching his hands move around so fluidly.
داليا [Dalia]: اللي يمشي عادي [Elly Yemshy 3ady] (2021)
I have so much nostagia for Egypt. The ornamentation in their music has a warmth that I haven’t heard anywhere else.
Fabrice Koffy, Marika Galea, Michael Go: Le Soir
From Montréal Sound Resistance: Chapitre I (2021) builds from French spoken word to trio music, to an improvised duo with a lovely African triplet feel. The bilingual album of poetry and spoken word is made in Montreal and dedicated to the memory of George Floyd.
From O Rei Do Carimbó (1983). Yormidable tongue-twister from a Brazillian traditional dance form. I learned that this is the same genre as No Meio do Pitiú from #002.
From ARENA (2021). Beatboxer’s dream and head banger.
Squarepusher x Z-MACHINES: Music For Robots (2014)
Trippy mix of atonal harmonies, jazz solos over drum-n-bass, glitchy video-game music. Sounds like something going wrong, with great precision.
Glitchy, hip-hop jazz had my head boppin’ for twenty-five minutes.
Francis Bebey: Akwaaba — Music For Sanza (1985)
Mbira and raw vocals are set to funky pentatonic bass grooves accompanied by other African percussion. You will sway from side to side.
Joyce Moreno: Revendo Amigos (1994)
Jazz harmonies and wordless melodies.
Joyce Moreno: Passarinho Urbano (1976)
Chock-full of sambas in stereo. Led me to Revendo Amigos (1994), with the kind of jazz harmonies and wordless melodies that I enjoy.
Acemo: Where They At (Swaya’s remix)
Body-shaker of the week. The original comes alive with African percussion, echoed synths, and a stronger rhythmic drive.